Switch and signal system.



WITNESSES R. V. COLLINS.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1909.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

BY f aw WM Y7 ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH co..wAsmNGTcN, D. c.

R. V. COLLINS.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL-SYSTEM. AFPLICATiON FILED SEPT.23,1909.

PatentedSept. 7', 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L aim v44; 64% ATTORNEYS ,4 7TORIVEYS Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 R. V. COLLINS.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 23. 1909.

WITNESSES @Tdd A ll Nl FFKQ.

RGY V. COLLINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A$SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO COLLINS SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Application filed September 23, 1909.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, ROY V. COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Switch and Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The invention relates more particularly to improvements in tower control mechanism for cars or trains, although some of the features thereof maybe embodied in other systems of control.

The specific improvements can be most easily pointed out in connection with the description and drawings, the latter showing a system of tower control which has already been installed and which embodies the invention.

In said drawings: Figure l is a diagrammatic view of said system. Fig. 2 is a plan view, with the cover removed, of a control cabinet which may be employed in said system. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the interlocking mechanism in the control cabinet. Fig. 3 is a partial view of the rod it, the rod 71, and the spring which abuts the collar on the end of the rod 2'. Figs. 4:, 5 and 6 respectively are detail plan views, on a larger scale, showing di'lfc'rent positions of a pivoted bolt employed in the interlocking mechanism. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views of the same, the planes of the sections being indicated by 77 and 8-8 respectively in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing a pivoted latch for the switch operating bars in the control cabinet, and, Fig. 10 is another detail View illustrating the connection of a contact plate and switch operating mechanism proper.

The tower from which the system is operated is placed in any convenient location commanding a view of the tracks I). The control cabinet 0 (Fig. 2), which is located in the tower, is provided with handles cl for controlling the operation of the means for throwing the switches in the system, the number of handles corresponding to the number of switches, and with as many push rods 2 for controlling the operation of the means for giving the signals, as there are signals in the system. In the present case (Fig. 1) three switches are shown, being Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1915. Serial No. 519,254.

numbered 1, 3 and 5 respectively, and four signals, being numbered 2, 4, 6 and 7 respectively. Each of the switches in the system' will be considered to be in its normal posi tion when set for throwing the car to the. right, and the position for throwing the car to the left will be termed the reverse. The signals are independent of the switches and each may consist of a red and a green light as customary; but the green light, or whichever light is the go ahead light, cannot be flashed by the operator if the corresponding switch, where there is a corresponding switch, has been incompletely 0perated, as will be explained in connection with the interlocking mechanism hereafter to be referred to. In the operation of the system, when a car is seen approaching, the operator, if the switch is in the proper position for the car to pass over it or ifthere is no switch at this point, will flash the proper signal for the car to go ahead by pressing the corre sponding push rod of the control cabinet. As will be seen from the diagram of F ig. 1, each of these push rods controls two pairs of contacts 6 and e and in its normal position bridges one of the pairs of contacts which control the stop light circuit. When therefore the operator pushes the push rod the stop lamp goes out and the go ahead lamp lights on account ofthe bridging by the push rod of the opposite pair of contacts which it controls. In this position the push rod will be held by a corresponding latch e which is controlled by a magnet f. The latter is energized, after the car has gone a certain distance past the signal, through the operation of a switch 9 which is closed by the car, and the latch is withdrawn, permit-- ting the push rod to be returned to its origi; nal position by a spring or the like. The switch 9 may be referred to and considered as car controlled means for energizing the magnet f. Such a spring is denoted by h in Fig. 2, one such spring corresponding with each signal. Each of these springs is coiled upon a rod h which is fast to a bracket h and a collar k throughwhich the end of the rod freely passes, is secured upon the end of a sliding bar 2' extending] ried by the bar 2'. Each of the push rods 2 is connected to the corresponding bar 5 by means of a cam z" and a suitable anti-friction roller 2' secured upon the sliding bar.

Thus it will be seen that the pushing in of any of the rods 2 will slide the corresponding bar 71 against the action of itsspring h and will move the contact plate 0* from the contacts 6 to the contacts 6 that thereafter when the car has reached the switch 9, the

latch 0 will be withdrawn and the spring will force the bar 2' and the corresponding rod 2 back to their original positions with the plate 6 bridging the contacts 6. There is considerable advantage in having the parts thus returned automatically to position, as the stop light is again flashed and the system is normal again without requiring. the particular attention of the operator to bring about this necessary condition.

It should be mentioned that the latch e, which is pivoted above its corresponding bar 2', is preferably arranged so as to drop by gravity after its magnet f has been deenergized- It may happen however that even after the magnet has been deenergized, the latch will stick and will not drop as it should. To obviate this condition, the latch'is provided with a tail piece 6 which, as the bar 5 moves backward, is engaged by a raised portion of the bar, as 6 with the resultthat the latch is forced downward from the mag net so as to rest upon the bar. This insures that upon the next operation of the bar, the latch 6 will engage the piece 6 upon the bar and check its return until it is automatically withdrawn in the manner already specified.

In addition to the bars 1' in the control cabinet there are provided similar bars k which are operatively connected with or related to'the switch throwing mechanism in the same sense that the bars 71 are operatively connected with or related to the signals. These bars are connected with the handles 03 so that by the rotation of the handles the bars [6 may be slid first in one direction and then backward in the opposite direction to their original positions. Directly above each of these bars 70 are a pair of magnets Z which are provided primarily to check the too rapid operation of the bars, the one in one direction and the other in the opposite direction, for the object of turning any of the controller handles d is to operate electrically through the contacts m the switch throwing mechanism proper denoted by n in 1. If the sliding of any of the rods in is made too rapidly the switch mechanism may not be operated and the system would fail. Each of the magnets Z controls a pivoted latch 0, which is hidden from view because it is located below the magnet provided with a tail piece 0. The latch 0 is similar in all respects to the latch 6 just described. A pair of these latches is arranged above each of the bars k and as soon as the switch has been moved, one of these latches is withdrawn by the magnet Z and permits the controller to be moved to complete its stroke. Thus, the magnets Z and their corresponding latches, besides serving to prevent a too rapid throw of the bars 70, also serve as indication means for letting the operator know if the switch has been thrown properly in response to his operation of the control handle.

The connections between the magnets Z and the switch throwing mechanism at will be easily understood from the drawings, (Figs. 1 and 10) in which a contactplate p is shown connected with the switch mechanism proper. Such switch mechanism is preferably of the type shown in my Letters Patent of the United States No. 754,050, dated March 8, 1904, and No. 829,630, dated August 28, 1906, in which a plate q is prorided which, upon successive actuations throws the switch tongue first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Any

other suitable mechanism, however, may be employed to throw the switch. In the present case, the contact plate 2) is secured to the switch rod upon which the plate 9' operates and in one position of the switch rests against one pair of contacts and in the other position of the switch against another pair of contacts, both of said pairs of contacts being in circuit respectively with each of the magnets Z. Thus, when a controller handle is moved, one of the corresponding latches 0 will be released and will drop upon the corresponding bark and, if the switch be properly thrown, the other latch will be withdrawn by the other magnet Z, allowing the operator to complete the stroke of the controller. When the switch is to be moved back, the controller is thrown in the opposite direction and the magnets Z of the corresponding pair will act in the same way but in the reverse order.

In connection with the control cabinet in the tower in which the control cabinet is located, there is usually employed a miniature representation of the. tracks andthe signals which is connected up with the system so that the operator is enabled to see at a glance what the position of the switches is and what the conditions of the signalsare. It is unnecessary to illustrate this model of the tracks and the associated mechanism but one improved feature of the same is illustrated in diagram in Fig. 1. This feature has to do with the indication of the position of the switches. Heretofore the switch tongues in the model were mechanically, connected to the corresponding controller handles so that it might happen that the model would not indicate that a switch had been thrown, when in fact it had been mechanically thrown at the track. In order to obviate such a false indication, indicating mechanism is provided to be operated from the switch or switch throwing mechanism proper. Thus, in the present case, indicator magnets t are provided, one for each switch, and they will be seen to be in circuit with the contacts 79 associated with the corresponding switch throwing mechanism. In this way when a switch is moved in onedirection the correspondingswitch tongue in the model will be raised as by themagnet t, and when the switch is moved in the opposite direction the switch tongue will drop by gravity, or be moved back by any suitable means. Through such a mechanism, anabsolutely positive indication of the position of the switch may be had. I

It was stated above that when a switch is operated, unless it were completely thrown the go ahead signal could not be flashed. It will be understood how this is brought about upon reference to Fig. 3 in which the bars 6 and 7: are shown disassociated from the magnets and other mechanism of the control cabinet. Between each pair of bars 27 and 70, for instance, which correspond to a switch and the signal associated therewith, that is between the bars 1 and 2, the bars 3 and i and the bars 5 and 16, is a sliding bolt u both ends of which are arrangedto fit in recesses in the bars 1' and respectively. I The ends of the bolt and the sides of the recesses are shaped so that the sliding of either bar will drive the bolt into the recess in the other bar-,provided said other bar is in a position for the recess to register with the bolt. Each of the bars in isprovided with two such. recesses which are arranged to register with the corresponding bolt to in each position of the switch. It will thus be seen that with the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, any signal may "be, given without'moving the switch, and that if the switch is moved, the signal can only be given if the bar is has completed its stroke, as otherwise neither of therecesses in the bar 7c will register with the bolt. In some cases, it is desirable thattherefshall be an interlocking between one of the switch throwing mechanisms and a couple or more of signals as would happen for instance if switch 3 were in the reverse position while switch 5 remained in the normal position. In such a case if both the signals 4 and 6 could be set at a go ahead indication, then a collision might occur. To obviate such a condition in the system, the following interlocking means may berused in connection with the sliding bars 2' and 70: A bolt a) may be pro,- vided, being secured in the control cabinet so as to slide longitudinally and having its :face pivoted so as to be capable of swinging laterally. Associated with this pivoted sliding bolt 4) are two sliding bolts a and, the bolt a? being adapted to engage in a recess in one of the bars 2' and the bolt y/being adapted to engage in a recessin another one of the bars 2', and both bolts being adapted to engage opposite ends of the pivoted bolt '0. Moreover the pivoted bolt t is adapted to swing into a recess 40 in one of the bars 70. In the case of the present illustration, the two bars 2' selected are those correspond ing to signals Nos. 4 and 6 and the bar it to switch No. 3. Now, if switch No. 3 is thrown into the reverse position, the bar is will be moved to the right in Fig. 3 and this will move the recess w so far to the right that the bolt '2; cannot be swung into the recess but can only have a sliding motion in one direction or the other. Now if signal No. at be operated to give the go ahead signal, the bar 2' corresponding must be pushed to the right in Fig. 8 which action will cause the depression of the bolt it and the sliding of the bolt v underneath the bolt 2 The signal 6 cannot now be set in the go ahead direction for the reason that the corresponding bar 2' cannot be moved on account of the bolt 4) being underneath the bolt If, on the other hand, the signal 6. had been set in the go ahead direction, the signal 4: could not have been so set on account of the bar 2' corresponding thereto having been locked through the depression of the bolt 7/ in the firstinstance. It will be obvious, of course, that if the bar 70 corresponding to switch 3 had not been moved in the first instance to set the switch in thereverse position, then both of the signals at and6 might have been given at once. It will be understood how the pivoted sliding bolt 11 may be employed in other instances, some other such instances being shown in the present case in Fig.3. As the operation of this locking device is the same in all cases, it will be unnecessary to amplify thisedescription with a detailed account of the operation of this bolt in every specific instance.

The system may be installed under varying conditions of track lay-out and may obviously be employed with or without a tower and, as was stated above, various features of the system may be employed in other control systems of a different type from the present. The invention, accordingly, is not limited tothe embodiment shown and described.

I claim as my invention:

1 A switch and signal system comprising means for throwing the switches, hand engaging rotatable means for controlling said switch throwing means, means for giving the signal, and hand engaging push rods for controlling said signal giving means.

2. A switch and signalsystem having therein a plurality of means for giving signals, a plurality of sliding rods comprised in the aforesaid means whereby when each of the sliding rods are moved from one position to another a signal will be causedto be given, hand push rods and cams for operating the aforesaid sliding rods, means for throwing the switches, sliding rods comprised in said switch throwing means, and rotatable handles for; operating the 'last mentioned rods, said switch throwing means being constructed so that when each of the sliding rods comprised therein is moved from onejposition to another a corresponding switch will be positioned.

3. In a switch and signal system the combination of switch throwing mechanism, an electrical signal device comprising a goahead signal and a stop signal, a circuit for each of said signals, a member that retains the go-ahead circuit closed aftersaid member has been moved to position to complete the circuit forgiving the go-ahead signal, means for interlocking said mechanism and said device so that when the switch is only partially thrown the go-ahead signal cannot be flashed or given, means for locking in circuit closing position the member that retains the go ahead circuit closed after said member has been moved to position to complete the circuit for giving the go-ahead signal, and train controlled means for causing an automatic unlocking of said member, the signal devicebeing provided with means for automatically moving the member, when unlocked, from the position which it occupics when completing the circuit for giving the go-ahead signal and for automatically restoring the circuit for giving the stop signal.

a. Ina switch and signal system the combination of switch throwing mechanism. signal devices having electrically operated signals, means for operating said mechanism, means for controlling said devices so that the signal devices will be changed from a normal condition to a reverse condition,

and meanscomprisinglocking members for interlocking said mechanism and said devices, the system comprising spring means for restoring the signal controlling devices to normal condition, said signal devices being provided, with train controlled means for causing the release of the locking mem-v bers when in locking position whereby the sprlng means w1ll automatically cause'a restoring of a signal controlling device from a reverse condition to a normal condition.

nism and said devices so that the latter can 7 be changed from a normal condition to a reverse condition, and locking members for interlocking said mechanism and said devices when in the reverse condition, the, system comprismg spring means for restoring the signal controlling devices to normal V condition, said signal devices being proa plurality of rods for closing said circuits,

rotatable means having handles thereupon for operating the aforesaid rods, means forgiving the signals, other rods that control the means for giving the signals, and hand push rods having cams for operating said signal controlling rods to move them out of normal condition, the system being also provided with train controlled means for moving a latch to releasing position, latches, and spring means, each of which spring means is arranged to return one of the hand push rods to normalposition when one of the train controlled means moves one of the latches to releasing position, which latch is constructed. and arranged so as to hold, a rod or member that controls one of the signals from being returned to normal position until said train controlled means efiects said release. s c

.8. A switch and signal system having in combination hand engagingrotatable means for causing the throwing of the switches, and hand engaging-push rods for controlling the signals, the switch operating means and the signal means being interlocked, latches for holding the push rods when positioned, and magnets for effecting a movement of said latches to releasing position when the magnets are energized, the system also being; provided with train controlled means for causing the energizing of said magnets, sovthat when a latch is moved to a position where it releases a hand engaging push rod the latter can be moved from the position in which it washeld by the latch. I

9. In a switch andsignal system, means for actuating switch points, a plurality of sliding rods for controlling said means,

handles on' rotatablemeans for operating.

said rods, circuits forgiving signals, sliding rods for controlling said circuits, push rods and cams for operating the last mentioned rods, compression springs for causing the push rodsto be restored to normal position, means for interlocking the rods that control the means for actuating the switch points and the rods that control circuits for giving the signals, latches for holding the push rods out of normal 'posi- This specification signed and witnessed t tion, and magnets for moving the latches to this QOthday of September A. D., 1909. releasing position whereby the compression springs can cause a return of the hand push ROY COLLINS rods to normal position, said magnets being Signed in the presence ofcontrolled by the cars passing certain G. MCGRANN,

points. I LU(-IUS E. VARNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

